Shrubs, low, with ascending to prostrate branches, 10-25 cm. Stem segments not disarticulating, green, flattened, narrowly to broadly obovate, 6.5-15 × 3-11 cm, low tuberculate, glabrous to papillate; areoles (4-)7-8 per diagonal row across midstem segment, subcircular, 3-3.5 mm diam.; wool white. Spines (0-)1-3(-4) per areole, in distal 20-50(-70)% of areoles, porrect to reflexed, yellow-gray to whitish gray, sometimes brown in basal ¹/2, straight, sometimes curved, usually flattened, slender, longest (35-)50-70 mm. Glochids conspicuous, in broad, dense crescent at adaxial margin of areole, red-brown, to 4 mm, sides sometimes converging into columns. Flowers: inner tepals magenta throughout, 25-35 mm; filaments yellow to red-orange to magenta; anthers yellow; style white; stigma lobes green. Fruits tan, 20-30 × 18-20 mm, maturing dry, glabrous to papillate; areoles (16-)24-34, distal areoles bearing 1-4 short spines. Seeds tan, oval to subcircular, 6.5-8 mm, warped; girdle protruding 1.5-2 mm. 2n = 88.

Flowering late spring (May-Jun). Grasslands, margins of pinyon-juniper woodlands, red, sandy or limestone loam soils; 1400-1600 m; Ariz., Utah.

Opuntia pinkavae hybridizes with O. aurea. The name O. pinkavae replaces Opuntia basilaris var. woodburyi W. Earle, which was not validly published.

Plant: Shrubs low; branches ascending to prostrate, 10-25 cm tall. PADS green, glabrous to papillate, narrowly to broadly obovate, 6.5-15 cm long, 3-11 cm wide. AREOLES (4-)7-8 in a row diagonal across midpad, subcircular, 3-3.5 mm in diameter; wool white Leaves: SPINES in distal 20-50(-70)% of areoles, yellow-gray to whitish gray, sometimes brown in basal half, porrect to reflexed, slender, 1-3(-4) per areole, the largest (3.5-)5-7 cm long. GLOCHIDS red-brown, in a broad, dense apical crescent, the sides sometimes converging into a central column, conspicuous, to 6(-10) mm long Flowers: inner tepals magenta, 2.5-3.5 cm long; filaments yellow to red-orange to magenta; style white; fresh stigmas green Fruit: FRUITS tan, maturing dry, 2-3 cm long, 1.8-2 cm in diameter; areoles (8-)12-17, uppermost bearing 1-4 short spines. SEEDS tan, oval to subcircular, 6.5-8 mm in diameter, warped; girdle protruding 1.5-2 mm Misc: Red, sandy or limestone loam soils, grasslands and margins of pinyon-juniper woodlands; 1370-1560 m (4500-5200 ft); May-Jun REFERENCES: Pinkava, Donald J. Cactaceae. 2003. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 35(2).